"Springtime of Vatican II"
Update

Ratzinger Colludes With the American Bishops

by Christopher A. Ferrara

        As this column has reported, the Vatican has adopted a position of studied ambiguity on whether notorious American pro-abort politicians should be denied Holy Communion. The ever-crafty Cardinal McCarrick intimated that Cardinal Ratzinger had given the go-ahead for each bishop to decide whether to allow this sacrilege to go on. McCarrick later suggested that the Vatican approved of the American bishops’ statement "Catholics in Political Life," which passed 183-to-6 at their meeting in Denver this past June at the plush Inverness resort in Colorado. The bishops’ scandalous statement pays lip service to the Church’s teaching against abortion, while excusing the bishops from doing anything to keep pro-aborts from the Communion rail if the bishops deem it inexpedient to confront these apostate politicians.

        Outraged defenders of Cardinal Ratzinger insisted that the document recently issued by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on this question mandates that pro-abort politicians be denied the Sacrament, and that McCarrick has misrepresented Ratzinger’s position. Well, once again the Vatican apparatus has done the old two-step. Evidently under pressure by a fax from McCarrick himself, Cardinal Ratzinger sent McCarrick the following letter, dated July 9, 2004, which was promptly posted on the web site of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops:

Your Eminence:

With your letter of June 21, 2004, transmitted via fax, you kindly sent a copy of the Statement "Catholics in Political Life," approved by the members of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops at their June meeting.

The Congregation is grateful for this courtesy. The statement is very much in harmony with the general principles "Worthiness to Receive Holy Communion," sent as a fraternal service - to clarify the doctrine of the Church on this specific issue - in order to assist the American Bishops in their related discussion and determinations.

It is hoped that this dialogue can continue as the Task Force carries on its important work.

With fraternal regards and prayerful best wishes, I am,

Sincerely yours in Christ,
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger

        In other words, Ratzinger now publicly endorses McCarrick’s position, and that of 183 American bishops, that politicians who publicly advocate the mass murder of children in the womb may approach the Altar of God with blood-drenched hands and receive the Body of Christ — if the bishops think it best. Yes, McCarrick’s position is "very much in harmony" with the Vatican’s, according to Cardinal Ratzinger.

        We are told by some traditional Catholics that Cardinal Ratzinger is "our only friend" in the Vatican. With friends like these, tradition-minded Catholics don’t need enemies — and neither do the unborn children whose murderers Ratzinger would allow to receive the Body of Christ in our churches. May God save His Holy Church.